Support



Jan. 13; 1925, 1,523,042

I A. c. THOMAS SUPPORT Filed June 21, 1924 v I. l SIB manic; 76 fia/fiaa Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

ALVA o. THOMAS, or

WILLIAMSTON, MICHIGAN.

SUPPORT.

Application filed June 21, 1924.

To all whom. it may concern:

.Be it known that-I, ALVA C. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVilliamston. in the'county of Ingham and State of Michigamlhave invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Supports, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to supports and more particularly to a support for securing a small flag pennant or the like in position upon smooth surfaces.

n important object of the invention s to provide a device of this character which may be readily and cheaply constructed and which is readily applied to and removed from the surface upon which it is used.

, A further object cof the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the staff of the device is very firmly held.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character, the body structure of which is formed from a single strip of fiat spring material punched at spaced intervals and then formed into shape, so that this body may be very cheaply and readily produced.

These and other objects I attain by the 1 construction shown 1n the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of flag stafl holder constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view therethrough;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second form of the demos.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the body of the device which is formed from a single sheet of spring metal bent to provide a central attaching portion 11, an up er end portion 12 at right angles to the b0 y portion, a lower end portion 13 likewise at right angles to the body portion, and upon the end of this body portion an upwardly and outwardly extending flange 14.- having a terminal portion 15 directed toward the attaching portion 11. Prior to bending of the strip, this strip has formed therein, preferably by punching, a plurality of openings 16 which may be of the same or different. sizes as desired.

Serial No. 721,552..

openings are formed adjacentopposite ends of the attaching portion 11. ne opening each is formed in the upper and lower end portions 12,and 13 and a further opening is formed in the terminal portion 15 as shown. The positioning of the terminal portion 15, as determined by the flange 1 1, is such that the opening 16 alignment with the opening 16 of the end portions 12 and 13.

In the assembly of the device, through the opening 16 are inserted the heads 17 of rubber suction cups 18, the heads being of greater size than the openings so that they must be forced through these openings and after being forced through the openings the cups areheld very firmly in position. These cups are arranged at the opposite side of the body portion from the angular end portions 12 and 13 and serve as a support for the body 10 when the same is forced against any smooth surface in a well known manner. After the support is arranged in position or prior to its application into position, the staff 19 of the flag to be supported is inserted through the opening of the angular end portion 12, the opening of the terminal portion 15 and the openin of the lower anguar portion 13. It wil be obvious that in order to accomplish this the flange 14 must be flexed inwardly and when this flange is released it will tend to move outwardly and will hold the staff very firmly in position.

In Figure 1 I have illustrated a form of my invention suitable for use wherethe staff is to be supported in parallelism to the surface to which the device is to be applied, in this instance the penings of the angular portions 12 and 13 being equidistantly spaced from the plane of the attaching portion 11. In Figure 3 a form of the lnvention is disclosed which is suitable for supporting the stafi' at an angle to the plane of the surface to which it is applied, the openings 16of the end portions 12 and 13 being differently spaced from the plane of the attaching portion 11, the opening of the angular portlon 12 having the greater spacing. It will be obvious that a device of this character may be very cheaply produced and is readily attached to'or removed from a surface on which the flagor pennant is to be supported.

It will furthermore be obvious that the construction hereinbefore set forth is capa- Two of these bl e of a certain range of change and mod-ithereof is normally out of;

v ings formed therein,

fication without in any manner departing from the spirit of my invention and I accordingly do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. A support of the character described comprising a body portion having applied thereto suction cups for engagement with a smooth surface to support the body portion, the ends of the body portion having at the opposite side thereoffrom the suction cups angular-1y projecting portions having openone of said angular portions having a flange, theterminal portion of which is directed toward the body portion and has an opening formed therein alig'nable with the openings of the'end portions when the flange is flexed.

2. A support of the character described comprising a body portion having applied thereto suction cups for engagement with a smooth surface to support the body portion, the ends of the body portion having at the opposite side thereof from the suction cups angularly projecting portions having openings formed therein, one of said anguportion of which is flange, the terminal directed toward the opening formed lar ortions having a body portion and has an therein alignable with the openings of the end portions when the flange is flexed, the openings of said angular portions being differently spaced from the plane of the attaching portion, theopening of that yigular portion without the flange being spaced the greater distance from such plane. j

3. A support/of the character described comprising abody portion having applied thereto suction cups for engagement with a smooth surface to support the'body portion,

the ends of the body portion having at the opposite side thereof fromthe suctioncups angularly projecting portions having openings formed therein, one of'said angular portions having a flange, the terminal portion of which is'directed toward the body portion and has an opening formed therein alignable with the openings of the end portions when the flange is flexed, said body portion'havin openings formed therein, the suction cups aving headsof greater size than said openings connected thereto by necks of less size than the openings, the heads being forcibly inserted through the openings. 1H.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. r

THOMAS 

